TV Show: Sister Wives

TLC Website Full Episode Reruns

The TLC website has full episode re-runs including the first (of 7) episodes of Sister Wives.
 
I heard of this today! If anyone finds a link I would love to hear about it... I think Derby told me about it actually, while we were IMing she was watching it.
 
I watched it, and I lurk around here, so I thought I would drop by to see what people thought about it.

I've always been very ambivalent about religiously oriented polygamy (it's always seemed icki and sexist to me), but was very pleased with what I saw as a very positive portrayal of a healthy, loving, functional, nonmonogamous family. The people did not seem to be angry bible thumping fundamentalists, merely religious like any other family might be religious. I definitely did not get the sense that any of them were lacking in consent or felt coerced into the marriage.

In fact, to hear them discuss it, they were very articulate in talking about nonmonogamy, and its ethics, and the practicalities of balancing all the different relationships, and they did so in terms that sounded very familiar from my own nonmonogamous life.

Except that when pinheads condemn me for living in the way that's best for me, I tend to get angry and tell them not to tell me how I am supposed to love. These folks simply smiled and demonstrated that they loved each other by their actions. Much more effective.

I was not expecting to be pleasantly surprised. I was expecting to see a reality version of Jerry Springer. Sociology tells us that our prejudices dissolve when we actually meet and interact with people against whom we're prejudiced; I saw this program as a potential introduction to functional nonmonogamy for people who've never seen it in action. I hope it keeps up that way, and if so, it could be a very positive thing for all nonmonogamists.

That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if it did degenerate into Jerry Springer, or if the narrative was being set up for the cameras to "uncover" the "real" dysfunction just lurking beneath the surface. But I hope not. An honest portrayal could end up starting a discussion in the mainstream about alternatives to monogamy.
 
Not bad

Actually, it wasn't bad at all. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't at all like some of the "reality" shows out there. This one felt more like a documentary. All the ladies were 19 or older when they decided to marry. Two were raised in plural marriage homes and knew what to expect when they looked for the same thing for themselves. The 3 wives were all married in before they started having children, who have since been raised as siblings.

They attend a church, but the show didn't go deeply into their religious ideology. It was more about the layout of their home, the co-parenting that happens in the home, the shared chores, and the "big" announcement that the husband was courting a lady with 3 children of her own.

There are 7 scheduled episodes, but after the news report today of the state opening an investigation using an old bigamy law, I wonder if we will see many more episodes.
 
Karma and I are watching it now and I am impressed. It brought up some discussion for us. On a good note.

I am kinda of upset to learn that they are already being investigated for bigamy. I really hate those laws. Who's business is it anway?
 
I'm really interested in looking up this show. Is it a reality show or scripted? I haven't heard about it out here.

But I'm glad there is finally another show out about a nonmonogamous family. "Big Love" had been the only one for a while (to my knowledge anyway)

:)
 
It's a reality show, but with him being investigated for Bigamy, who knows how long it will actualy stay on the air. TLC.com has full episodes online.
 
It's a reality show, but with him being investigated for Bigamy, who knows how long it will actualy stay on the air. TLC.com has full episodes online.

*sigh* This is why you don't want to admit to committing a crime on national TV. (No, I don't think it SHOULD be a crime...) Unfortunately, even if law enforcement officers would prefer to ignore the whole thing, if you get up in public and shout "Hey, I'm doing THIS!"...they're not really allowed to ignore the matter.

It's sort of like smoking marijuana. A lot of officers really don't care. But if you get in their face and blow smoke at them...they have to pay attention.

I'm glad it was a positive view...but the reality is different from what we might wish.
 
I just watched the first episode and it's so interesting. I actually live in Utah. And as an arm in a FMF, I occasionally have "sister-wife/metamour" moments with my SO's wife. I liked that the religious aspect wasn't all consuming and that the wives were all happy and consenting adults. I hate that they could be facing criminal charges. I read an article that said they felt willing to take the risk because in order for there to be progress in society, some one has to. Very brave of them.
 



The wife and I were watching it the other day and that dude is either whacked out or blissfully ignorant of himself.


The show we watched was a great example of how how Polygamy is nothing like Polyamory.

sister-wives-tlc.jpg

 
I just watched a clip on youtube and it's sad how adamently judgemental so many of the comments pride themselves on being -_-
 

The wife and I were watching it the other day and that dude is either whacked out or blissfully ignorant of himself.

How do you mean? I certainly didn't get that impression.

The show we watched was a great example of how how Polygamy is nothing like Polyamory.

You must have watched a different show than I did. Their rules and motivations are different from what I'm used to, but that stuff is up to their preferences, not mine. Their attitudes towards how a successful, honest, nonmonogamous relationship should function were, I thought, an excellent example of how polygamy (or this particular family's version of it) and polyamory are very much alike indeed.
 



The wife and I were watching it the other day and that dude is either whacked out or blissfully ignorant of himself.


The show we watched was a great example of how how Polygamy is nothing like Polyamory.

sister-wives-tlc.jpg



I'm confused about what you mean.

They didn't come right out and say it, but with the religious motivation, I wondered if the women were not allowed other partners, and with as many kids as they had, I almost wondered if they did it mainly to have so many kids.

But none of this was ever explicitly stated, and I could be making assumptions. Although even if that's the case, they all seem to be happy about it. And if they're happy, it's not for me to judge.
 
I caught a bit of this last night. Really enjoyed it - W was watching as well and he was intrigued by the emotions - that's a big one for us.

What I really really liked - is that one of the teen girls said that they didn't want to live a non-monogamous life. It was all she'd ever known - but she wanted one man, one woman.

I loved that the parents said that it was her choice, and they will love her and support her regardless.

Overall - while I don't watch reality shows - it was one that caught my interest.
 
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